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Media Statements

Premier of Queensland
The Honourable Peter Beattie

Thursday, March 23, 2006

GENERAL COSGROVE TO LEAD CYCLONE LARRY TASKFORCE

The recently retired General Peter Cosgrove will lead the Queensland Government’s taskforce that will superintend the rebuilding of communities damaged by Cyclone Larry, Premier Peter Beattie announced tonight (Thursday).

“General Cosgrove and I will be in Innisfail tomorrow to announce the details of the recovery taskforce and the names of the suitably experienced team of three others who will work with General Cosgrove,” said Mr Beattie.

“I am delighted that the former chief of the Australian Defence Force and former Australian of the Year has accepted this major challenge. He is the ideal man for the job.

“I started work on creating this taskforce and first spoke to General Cosgrove about it on Tuesday.

“I have set aside an initial budget of $1.75 million to establish a secretariat to ensure the taskforce can begin immediately.

“This is about the long-term rebuilding of communities.

“What we did from immediately after the winds started dying down on Monday morning was move teams of people in to start working on water, sewerage and power, and to start helping people with things like water and food.

“It is totally wrong to suggest that there was anything wrong with that approach.